Electrical manicuring apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrical manicuring apparatus comprises a housing and a cover detachably connectable to the housing for closing an open end of the latter. A motor is arranged in the housing and receives its energy from a self-contained source of electrical energy. A plurality of manicuring tools are removably received in the cover and can be selectively connected with the output shaft of the motor when the cover is removed so that the device can then be used as a manicuring apparatus. In addition to this, the apparatus is provided with an electrically operated device on the cover which is operatively associated with the source of electrical energy when the cover is connected with the housing so that, in this connected state, the apparatus is usable for purposes other than manicuring, for instance as a flashlight or the like.

United States Patent [72] inventors Kurt Paule Stuttgart-Obertuerkheim; Fritz Schadlich, Stetten A. F Alfred Hettich, Echterdingen, all of Germany [2]] Appl. No. 846,447 [22] Filed July 31, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee Robert Bosch GmbH Stuttgart, Germany [32] Priority Sept. 20, 1968 [33] Germany [31] P17 82 586.4

[54] ELECTRICAL MANICURING APPARATUS 17 Claims, 18 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 132/73.6, 132/75, 132/762, 132/765 [51] Int. Cl A45d 29/05 [50] Field of Search 132/736, 75, 75.3, 75.6, 75.8, 76.2, 76.4, 76.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,581 l/1935 Ubelhart 132/736 Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner.l. N. Eskovitz Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: An electrical manicuring apparatus comprises a housing and a cover detachably connectable to the housing for closing an open end of the latter. A motor is arranged in the housing and receives its energy from a self-contained source of electrical energy. A plurality of manicuring tools are removably received in the cover and can be selectively connected with the output shaft of the motor when the cover is removed so that the device can then be used as a manicuring apparatus. in addition to this, the apparatus is provided with an electrically operated device on the cover which is operatively associated with the source of electrical energy when the cover is connected with the housing so that, in this connected state, the apparatus is usable for purposes other than manicuring, for instance as a flashlight or the like.

PATENTEDUCT 19, IQII SHEET 10F 4 IN KNTWZS KuR'r PAULE WE Scw'iwal Amtzv Hag-nan PATENTED B 19 I 3. 6 1 3 .696

sum 3 0F 4 INYENTORS:

Kurt PAULE Fri/z sci/A Due/1 Alfred HEl'f/Ch' PATENTEUUET 19 \911 SHEET BF 4 an PAULE Fm: SHAWL/CH Alfred HEW/6H ELECTRICAL MANICURING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electrical apparatus in general, and more particularly to an electrical manicuring apparatus. Still more specifically the present invention relates to a multipurpose electrical manicuring apparatus.

Manicuring apparatus for manicuring the nails of hands and feet is already well known. Generally speaking it isinsofar as it is electrically operated-of one of two types, namely it is either battery operated or powered from house or net current. The latter types are evidently somewhat limited in their applicability because they can never be far removed from an electrical outlet. They are either of the type wherein a motor is a self-contained unit which drives, via a flexible output shaft, various different manicuring tools, with the entire device being frequently provided with a case in which the motor, the tools and all other accessories can be stowed. In fact, frequently the motor is rigidly connected with this case. Other such devices are handheld and also provided with a case in which the various components can be stowed.

Insofar as these known devices are battery operated they are, of course, more versatile because they need not be used near electrical outlets. This type of manicuring apparatus is usually provided with a housing which contains both the motor and the source of electrical energy, thatis the battery. They come generally with a case which contains both the actual apparatus and the various selectively usable tools and accessories. It is evident that this is a disadvantage because apparatus so constructed requires quite clearly considerably more space than the size of the actual housing accommodating the motor and batteries would in itself dictate, were it not for the necessity to accommodate the various selectively usable tools in the casing.

' In addition, such battery-operated apparatus is not as versatile as it desirably should be, considering that it is intended to be taken to many different places, for instance on trips or the like, where it may frequently be desirable to have another electrically operated device available, for instance a flashlight. Clearly, it would be advantageous if the manicuring apparatus could be made to perform a dual function, for instance if it could serve as a flashlight when not in use as a manicuring apparatus. This would greatly extend its versatility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrically operated manicuring apparatus.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a manicuring apparatus which requires considerably less space than was heretofore necessary.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a manicuring apparatus of the type under discussion which can perform a dual function.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide such a manicuring apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and simple and reliable in its use.

In pursuance of the above objects and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of our invention resides, briefly stated, in an electrical manicuring apparatus comprising housing means having an open end, motor means arranged in said housing means, and a self-contained source of electrical energy in the housing means and operative for supplying current to the motor means. Cover means is detachably connectable with the housing means for closing the open end thereof and at least two manicuring tools are removably accommodated in the cover means. Connecting means serves for removably connecting the tools with the motor means when the cover means is detached from the housing means so that the apparatus may then be used for manicuring purposes. An electrically operated device is provided on the cover means and operatively associated with the source of electrical energy when the cover means is connected with the housing means so that in this state the apparatus may serve its intended second function.

The electrically operated device may, as has already been suggested above, be a flashlight or the like, and the manicuring tools are advantageously provided on a tool carrier which is removably located in the interior of the cover means. This makes it possible, by suitably constructing the carrier, to remove the same from the interior of the cover means and set it upon a support surface or the like with the tools being ready to hand for the user. It is advantageous that the tools include a nail file composed of a rotatable disk provided at its edge face with knurled or roughened portions which serve to file away the nails, and with two axially adjacent additional disks which sandwich the first disk between them and extend radially outwardly beyond the same, with the marginal zones of the additional disks which so extend outwardly being similarly roughened and serving for smoothing the edges of the nails as the same are being filed.

If the apparatus according to the present invention is employed by a female user, the manicuring of nails usually involves the application of nail polish. In order to facilitate drying of such nail polish it is advantageous that it be possible to direct a stream of air against the nails. This can be accomplished by providing a fan as one of the tools which, when connected with the output shaft of the electric motor, produces an air stream which can then be directed by the user upon the nail polish on her nails to aid in drying of the polish. It is, of course, advantageous to make the fan collapsible so that it can more readily be accommodated in the cover on the one hand, and in addition to make it possible to use a larger fan than would otherwise be possible given the size limitations of the cover.

In conventional portable manicuring apparatus the shafts of the tools which are to be connected with the output shaft of the motor are slotted and are pushed onto the output shaft. This requires the exertion of a considerable pressure upon the output shaft and, considering that the motors are rather small and their bearings quite delicate, this can lead quite rapidly to damage to these bearings. It is, accordingly, one of the concepts of the present invention to avoid this problem by providing a readily established and equally readily separated snapaction connection between the tools and the motor shaft, or a connecting member carried thereby, requiring the exertion of only a minimal force to effect the connection of disconnection.

While it is not impossible to provide separate switches for the motor driving the manicuring tools and for the other electrically operated device, it is preferred to use only a single switch for this purpose. This can be accomplished by providing a disabling arrangement which automatically makes it possible to switch on the motor when the cover is connected with the housing, and thereby providing a switch which can be so operated as to effect the connection between the source of electrical energy and' the electrically operated device when the switch is used in one way, and to effect connection between the source and the motor when the switch is used in another way in which it avoids the disabling means.

The source of electrical energy may be a primary galvanic cell, or it may be a rechargeable secondary cell, that is an accumulator which can be recharged by connecting the device with an electrical outlet of an electrical net. In the latter case, however, it will obviously be necessary to provide suitable electrical contacts making it possible to effect such connection.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a manicuring apparatus illustrating one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line Illl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III'III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating details of contact strips provided on the motor housing;

FIG. 5 is a partly sectioned plan view of the apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through the housing;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but of the motor housing;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the motor housing cover;

FIG. 9 is a partial longitudinal section through the cover of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a detail view showing a spring associated with the switch of the apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the cover;

FIG. 12 is a sectioned side elevation of a tool support or carrier which is accommodated in the cover;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the carrier in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 but showing the tools in place;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of one of the tools;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another of the tools;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a fan; and

FIG. 18 is a cross section through the connecting member provided on the motor output shaft and to which the tools are to be connected.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing now the drawing in detail it will be seen, generally speaking, that the apparatus has generally a substantially cylindrical fonn which slightly tapers towards the opposite ends so that its end faces have a somewhat smaller diameter than the device has in the middle. The cover is provided with a transparent cap located off center and accommodating a bulb so that it can constitute a flashlight. Substantially centrally the device is provided with a switch and it is closed at the end opposite from the cover with a metallic cap. The motor housing 1 consists preferably of synthetic plastic material and is substantially cylindrical. It has an open end and accommodates a small conventional direct current motor 2 whose output shaft 3 extends through an aperture 4 in the transverse wall closing the motor housing. A cap 5 of synthetic plastic material closes the housing of the motor.

An annular projection 6 provided on the cap 5 presses the motor 2 against the housing wall which is provided with the aperture 4 without, however, exerting pressure against the shaft end extending outwardly of the motor or the bearing or receptacle 7 therefor. Thus, the motor is prevented from moving longitudinally of its housing.

At opposite sides of the cylindrical wall of the motor housing there are provided cutouts 8 which extend over substantially half of the length of the motor housing in direction towards the wall provided with the aperture 4, so that at each side there is provided a springy tongue 9 which extends somewhat rearwardly of the edge of the motor housing and terminates in an outwardly directed hook 10. The cap 5 is provided with corresponding recesses 11 for free passage of the tongues 9.

A housing 12 surrounds the motor housing and is of cylindrical configuration. Preferably it consists of synthetic plastic material. It is provided with projections 13 extending towards the axis of the housing and which press the hooks 10 on the tongues 9 inwardly when the motor housing is introduced into the housing 12, until the projections have moved over the hooks l and the tongues can snap outwardly. When this occurs the nooks l0 engage behind the projections 13 and hold the housing 1 in place in the housing 12. Inner screw threads 14 are provided in the housing 12 and a metal threaded sleeve 15 is tightly threaded into these screw threads 14, projecting from the housing 12 and having threaded onto it a metallic rear cover 19 which is provided at its interior with a conically configurated spring 17 which engages the inside of the cover 16 with its base. The space in the interior of the housing 12 and the rear cover 16 between the transverse wall of the latter and the cap of the motor housing serves to accommodate a self-contained source of electrical energy, such as a battery 18, which is accommodated as illustrated. A projection 19 on the cap 5 extends rearwardly and has approximately twothirds of the length of the center pole of the battery to prevent that the latter can be inserted with the center pole extending rearwardly.

As shown in FIG. 9, a contact carrier 20 is provided at the cap 5 and extends forwardly to project as evident from FIG. 1, exteriorly of the motor housing I in parallelism with the cylindrical wall thereof. A recess provided at the underside of the contact carrier 20 accommodates two metallic strips which extend with small spacing from one another in axial parallelism with the housing between the contact carrier and the wall of the motor housing; these strips are identified with reference numerals 21 and 23 and extend forwardly from the contact carrier 20. The strip 21 is provided at its rearward end with a connecting wire 22 of the motor 2, and the strip 23 with another wire 24 of the motor and further with a contact spring 25 against which the center contact of the battery 18 is pressed. The strips 21 and 23 are separated from one another by a rib 25a provided on the outer wall of the motor housing extending in axial parallelism with the latter. The strip 23 is provided with an outward and subsequently inward bend at its front end. Secured to the outer or upper side of the contact carrier 20 by rivets or the like and located above the strip 21, is a contact spring 26 in form of a metallic strip which extends rearwardly into the space accommodating the battery and is soldered or otherwise conductively connected with the threaded sleeve 15. In forward direction, that is in the direction of the output shaft of the motor, the contact spring 26 is inclined inwardly and extends forwardly beyond the contact carrier 20 to terminate approximately level with the contact strip 23, the drawing showing that it is bent outwardly and subsequently inwardly in the manner as the front portion of the contact strip 23.

FIGS. 1 and 5, for instance, show that located above the strips 21, 23 and the spring 26 and embracing them, is an inwardly open box-shaped slider member 27 which preferably consists of synthetic plastic material. The sidewalls of the member 27 decrease in height from the rearward end towards the forward end, as seen with reference to the direction away from the battery 18. The member 27 is longitudinally movable and extends at its forward end under the cover plate of a rearwardly open box-shaped portion 28 of the motor housing 1. Its inner-stepped rearward end 29 extends under a portion of the housing 12. Transverse ribs or the like are provided at the outer surface of the member 27 to facilitate gripping thereof. An inwardly directed projection 30 is proximal to the forward end of the member 27 and, when the latter is in its rearward end position, this projection 30 contacts the inclined portion of the contact spring 26. A pin 31 is suitably secured, as by embedding, to the member 27 extending transversely to the direction of movement of the member 27 and in parallelism with its outer surface. The pin 31 is located below the inclined portion of the contact spring 26 and, when the member 27 is moved forwardly, the pin 31 moves the contact spring 26 upwardly, that is towards the adjacent wall of the housing 12.

FIGS. l and 2 show how the member 27 is provided in its interior with two recesses extending transversely to its direction of movement with a spring 32, shown in FIG. 10, and consisting of substantially U-shaped steel wire, extending into these recesses. Its inwardly bent ends are received in bores 33 of the contact carrier 20' and from these bores 33 the spring 32 extends forwardly. It abuts against two shoulders 34 of the contact carrier 20 so that it is directed outwardly and abuts biassingly below the front portion of the member 27. Because it extends into the recesses provided at the interior of the member 27 it prevents the same from undesired shifting and thereby from undesired changing in the switching position thereof.

Cover means in form of a substantially cylindrical cover 35 consisting preferably of synthetic plastic material closes the open front end of the housing 12. It extends approximately over half the length of the motor housing and is provided with a cutout with which it surrounds the projection 28 of the motor housing and the member 27. A tongue 36 is provided in the cutout which extends into an aperture 37 in the front wall of the portion 28 of the motor housing. The member 27 is guided between the upper side of the tongue 36 and the underside of the cover plate of the portion 28 and longitudinally movable. When the cover 35 is detached from the housing 12, the member 27 can be slidingly moved forwardly and in this position pressure exerted on its front portion will effect turning of the member 27 about its rearward end and inward movement of the member 27.

As shown in the drawing, the front transverse wall of the cover 35 is recessed in off-center position (compare FIG. I) over three-quarters of its diameter and a screw thread is formed in the recessed portion of the front transverse wall extending in axial parallelism with the housing 12 and sewing for threadingly receiving a light bulb 38. A cap 39 consisting of clear transparent synthetic plastic material protects and surrounds the bulb 38. This cap 39 closes the recessed portion of the front transverse wall of the cover 35, so that itconstitutes an extension of the nonrecessed portion of this front transverse wall. Two integral or otherwise provided projections (not illustrated) serve to retain the cap 39 on the cover 35 in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 by engaging in bores provided in the cover 35. A slot 40 is provided in axial parallelism in the screw thread which accommodates the bulb 38. A contact strip 41 extends into this slot and is bent in the manner shown in the drawing, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 so as to extend along the wall of the cover 35 to the tongue 36. It is bent around the rearwardly directed end of the tongue 36 and thereby connected to the same. A further contact 42 is located laterally of the contact strip 41 and engages the center contact portion of the bulb 33; the contact strip 42 is also connected to the end of the tongue 36. As willbe seen in the drawing, the contact strip 42 is contacted at the underside of the tongue36 by the end of the contact strip 23 which is pressed against it and thereby the contact strip 42 is in continuous electrical connection with the battery; the contact strip 41, on the other hand, opposes in part the spring 26 which, when it is lifted by the pin 31 in response to forward sliding of the member 27, contacts with its inclined end the contact strip 41 and thereby closes the circuit between the battery and the bulb 38. It will be evident that when the cover 35 is connected to the housing 12, movement of the member 27 can carry out only this circuit connection which leads to energizing of the bulb 38. If, however, the cover 35 is detached from the housinglZ, the tongue 36 is withdrawn from the portion 28 of the motor housing, permitting the member 27 to be downwardly depressed when it is in its forward position whereby its projection 30 contacts the spring 26 and presses the same against the contact strip 21, thereby closing the circuit between the battery and the motor.

As pointed out earlier, the tools for the manicuring apparatus are to be accommodated in the apparatus itself. For this purpose we prefer to provide a tool carrier 43 which is removably accommodated in the cover 35 and is configurated as a hollow member of synthetic plastic material manufactured by press molding or the like. It has a substantially cylindrical socket 44 which contacts and is guided by the inner wall of the cover 35, and an upper portion projecting from the socket 44. When the carrier 43 is introduced into the cover 35, the upper portion is introduced first and the toll carrier 43 is prevented from turning by a flattened portion 45 of the socket 44 which as a complementary counterpart on the inner surface of the wall of the cover 35. The socket 44 is provided in the illustrated embodiment with three axially parallel bores respectively removably receiving a polishing member 46, a grinding member 47 and a fan 48, each of which extends with a portion of its shaft into one of the bores. The members 46, 47 and 48 are respectively illustrated in detail in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17. As FIG. 17 shows, the fan member 48 comprises a hub 49 which advantageously of one piece with its shaft, two fan blades 50 and a cylindrical pin 5] connecting the fan blades with the hub 49. It is advantageous in this construction that the fan blades 50 can be collapsed into axial parallelism with the shaft of the member 48 because in this manner they can be much larger than would otherwise be possible while yet the member 48 can be readily accommodated in the cover 35. Because the member 48 has the largest axial extension of the tools it is located within the cover 35 laterally offset from the location of the bulb 38 which latter requires less axial space so that behind it the members 46 and 47 can be accommodated. The member 46 comprises a shaft of steel or the like, and a felt body having in the illustrated embodiment a substantially paraboloid cross section. The member 47 again has a shaft and a grinding body of generally frustoconical configuration and whose tapering end faces the shaft.

There is further provided a brush 52 which consists of a shaft 53, a hub 54 and a brush body 55. In addition to that a file 56 is provided having a shaft 57 and, in accordance with he invention, three disks of steel or the like which are suitably secured, for instance by riveting, to one end of the shaft 57 and of which the middle disk 58 has a smaller diameter than the two outer disks 59. The middle disk 58 is provided at its edge face with roughened portions, ridges or the like whereas the marginal zones of the outer disks 59 which extend radially of the middle disk 58 and face one another are similarly roughened, provided with ridges or the like. The middle disk serves as a nail file whereas the marginal portions of the outer disks 59 serve to remove from the nails the sharp ridge which develops when the nail is being filed. The brush 52 and file 56 are accommodated in two bores of the tool carrier 43 which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. The particular configuration of the tool carrier 43 makes it possible to remove the same together with the tools and to set it on a support surface where it will hold the tools readily available for the user. To remove it with the tools from the cover it is simply necessary to separate the cover and to lightly tap it with its open end on a support surface whereby the tool carrier 43 with its tools will slide out of this open end and come to rest on the support surface.

A connecting member 60 is provided on the output shaft 3 of the motor 2 and secured with a set screw 61, for instance. It is provided with a first bore 62 coaxial with its axis of rotation and into which a portion of the respective tools can be inserted. A tangentially extending second bore 63 which is blind extends normal to the elongation of the first bore 62 in such a manner as to cross the same in space and to communicate with the same via an aperture constituting a breakthrough between the bores 62 and 63. In the illustrated embodiment there are provided two ball or spherical members 64 received in the bore 63, having a diameter somewhat smaller than the diameter of the bore 63. An elastomeric ring 66 surrounding the connecting member 60 exteriorly and received in a groove 65 presses these ball members 64 inwardly so that the innermost ball member extends into the bore 62 through the connecting aperture to a certain extent without, however, being able to fall completely into the bore 62. It does, however, extend into the cross section of the bore 62 to such a depth as to snap with a snap action into a recess 67, which may be a notch or the like, provided in each shaft of the respective tools. Thus, as the shaft of the respective tool is inserted into the bore 62, the innermost ball member 64 will snap into the recess 67 and reliably but readily removably secure the tool to the member 60. The direction in which the bore 63 intersects the bore 62 is so selected that the torque exerted by the motor when the same is in operation serves to press the inner ball member 64 so as to clamp it between the shaft of the tool and the wall of the bore 63 so that the torque is reliably transmitted from the member 60 to the shaft of the tool.

Because of its small dimensions the apparatus according to the present invention is particularly advantageously usable as a flashlight which can be readily accommodated in purses or handbags. In this mode of use, in which of course the cover 35 is connected with the housing 12 in the manner described, the member 60 is closed and covered by the cover 35 and inadvertent energization of the motor is prevented in the manner discussed earlier. When the device is so closed, any one of the tools-other than the fan 48may remain connected with the member 60 without interfering in any way. The device can be simply converted'into a manicuring apparatus by removing the cover 35 and connecting the desired tool with the member 60. It is emphasized that the fan 48 can be connected with the member 60 in its position in which the fan blades extend in axial parallelism with the shaft of the fan 48. When the motor is then energized the fan blades will automatically lift to operative position, as shown in F l0. 17, as a result of centrifugal force.

In the event that the device is to be powered with a rechargeable source of electrical energy, for instance an Ni- Cd-cell, then it is necessary to provide a charging apparatus whose contacts supply the charging current via the contact strip 23 and the contact spring 26 to the cell. If the apparatus is of the type utilizing a rechargeable cell it may be supplied together with a charging apparatus and a line cord, advantageously packed in a case in which the charging apparatus and the line cord may be kept when not in use whereas the charged manicuring apparatus may be removed and carried about as desired.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a dual-function manicuring apparatus, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

We claim:

1. Electrical manicuring apparatus comprising, in combination, housing means having an open end; motor means arranged in said housing means; a self-contained source of electrical energy in said housing means and operative for supplying current to said motor means; cover means detachably connectable with said housing means for closing said open end; at least two manicuring tools removably accommodated in said cover means; connecting means for removably connecting said tools with said motor means when said cover means is detached from said housing means for use of said apparatus for manicuring purposes; and tool carrier means mounted in said cover means and releasably engaging and carrying said tools in predetennined relative positions, said tool carrier means being removable from said cover means, and being constructed and arranged for supporting said tools on a surface separate from said cover means for ready removal from and return to said tool carrier means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising an electrically operable device including an electric user accommodated in said cover means.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said cover means accommodating an electric bulb and contact means conductively connecting the same with said source when said cover means is connected with said housing means, so that said apparatus is operable as a flashlight when said cover means is connected with said housing means.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, one of said tools being a nail file comprising a first disk portion having a roughened circumferential edge face constructed as a nail file, and a pair of second disk portions sandwiching said first disk portion between them and being of slightly larger diameter than said first disk portion, said second disk portions having marginal zones outwardly adjacent to said edge face and being roughened.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim I; and further comprising fan means removably received in said cover means together with said tools and removably connectable with said motor means for rotation by the same when said cover means is detached from said housing means.

An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said fan means is collapsible for facilitating its accommodation in said cover means.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said connecting means including a connecting member mounted on the output shaft of said motor means and being provided with a first bore coaxial with the axis of rotation of said shaft for receiving a tool portion of the respective tool, and a blind second borc extending tangentially of and crossing in space the axis of said first bore and having an aperture communicating with the latter, a ball member received in said second bore, and biasing means urging said ball member into said aperture so as to partially project into said first bore for retaining said tool portion with a snap action.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, said biasing means comprising a biasing member of elastomeric material.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, said connecting member having a circumferential surface and said blind bore having a trailing end open at said circumferential surface; and wherein said biasing member is an annulus of elastomeric material encircling said circumferential surface and overlying said open end in engagement with said ball member for biasing the same into said aperture.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, said portions of said tools each having a recess positioned to receive with a snap ac.- tion that portion of said ball member which projects through said aperture into said first bore.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 2; and further comprising switch means provided on said housing means and operatively associated with said source, said motor means and said device for making and breaking electrical connections between the former and respective ones of the latter.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11; and further comprising disabling means operative for normally preventing making of an electrical connection between said source and said motor means when said cover means is attached to said housing means.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, said switch means being a sliding switch.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, said switch means including a sliding switch comprising an operating portion accessible to the fingers of a user and being operative for making and breaking electrical connection between said source and device in response to sliding movement of said operating por tion, and between said source and motor means in response to initial sliding movement of said operating portion followed by depressing of same.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim I, said source being a galvanic primary cell.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said source being a rechargeable secondary cell.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16; and further comprising electric contact means associated with said secondary cell and operative for enabling connecting of said cell with an external source of electrical energy in recharging relationship and upon detachment of said cover means from said housing means. 

1. Electrical manicuring apparatus comprising, in combination, housing means having an open end; motor means arranged in said housing means; a self-contained source of electrical energy in said housing means and operative for supplying current to said motor means; cover means detachably connectable with said housing means for closing said open end; at least two manicuring tools removably accommodated in said cover means; connecting means for removably connecting said tools with said motor means when said cover means is detached from said housing means for use of said apparatus for manicuring purposes; and tool carrier means mounted in said cover means and releasably engaging and carrying said tools in predetermined relative positions, said tool carrier means being removable from said cover means, and being constructed and arranged for supporting said tools on a surface separate from said cover means for ready removal from and return to said tool carrier means.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising an electrically operable device including an electric user accommodated in said cover means.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said cover means accommodating an electric bulb and contact means conductively connecting the same with said source when said cover means is connected with said housing means, so that said apparatus is operable as a flashlight when said cover means is connected with said housing means.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, one of said tools being a nail file comprising a first disk portion having a roughened circumferential edge face constructed as a nail file, and a pair of second disk portions sandwiching said first disk portion between them and being of slightly larger diameter than said first disk portion, said second disk portions having marginal zones outwardly adjacent to said edge face and being roughened.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1; and further comprising fan means removably received in said cover means together with said tools and removably connectable with said motor means for rotation by the same when said cover means is detached from said housing means.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said fan means is collapsible for facilitating its accommodation in said cover means.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said connecting means including a connecting member mounted on the output shaft of said motor means and being provided with a first bore coaxial with the axis of rotation of said shaft for receiving a tool portion of the respective tool, and a blind second bore extending tangentially of and crossing in space the axis of said first bore and having an aperture communicating with the latter, a ball member received in said second bore, and biasing means urging said ball member into said aperture so as to partially project into said first bore for retaining said tool portion with a snap action.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, said biasing means comprising a biasing member of elastomeric material.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, said connectinG member having a circumferential surface and said blind bore having a trailing end open at said circumferential surface; and wherein said biasing member is an annulus of elastomeric material encircling said circumferential surface and overlying said open end in engagement with said ball member for biasing the same into said aperture.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, said portions of said tools each having a recess positioned to receive with a snap action that portion of said ball member which projects through said aperture into said first bore.
 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 2; and further comprising switch means provided on said housing means and operatively associated with said source, said motor means and said device for making and breaking electrical connections between the former and respective ones of the latter.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11; and further comprising disabling means operative for normally preventing making of an electrical connection between said source and said motor means when said cover means is attached to said housing means.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, said switch means being a sliding switch.
 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, said switch means including a sliding switch comprising an operating portion accessible to the fingers of a user and being operative for making and breaking electrical connection between said source and device in response to sliding movement of said operating portion, and between said source and motor means in response to initial sliding movement of said operating portion followed by depressing of same.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said source being a galvanic primary cell.
 16. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said source being a rechargeable secondary cell.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16; and further comprising electric contact means associated with said secondary cell and operative for enabling connecting of said cell with an external source of electrical energy in recharging relationship and upon detachment of said cover means from said housing means. 